Brian Lochore
The quintessential All Black, a farmer from the Wairarapa who led from the front as a relentless player and a masterful, unifying coach.
1940–2019 (age 79)·New Zealand rugby union player and coach·Birthday: September 3·The Silent Generation
Biography
Brian Lochore was New Zealand rugby incarnate: tough, humble, and profoundly effective. A towering lock and number eight, he captained the All Blacks in 46 of his 68 matches, a record at the time, with a leadership style built on quiet authority and leading by example on the field. After retiring, he traded the paddock for the farm, but rugby wasn't done with him. In 1985, with the national team in crisis, he was persuaded to coach. His stewardship, emphasizing unity and traditional All Black values, rebuilt the side and culminated in the 1987 World Cup victory, a triumph that defined the modern era of the sport. Sir Brian remained a revered elder statesman, his name synonymous with integrity and the very soul of New Zealand rugby.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Brian was born in 1940, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1940
#1 Movie
Fantasia
Best Picture
Rebecca
Brian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1940Born
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1945Started school
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1953Became a teenager
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Could drive
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1958Could vote
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Turned 21
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1970Turned 30
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 40
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 50
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 60
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 70
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2019Died at 79
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- Captained the All Blacks 46 times, including an undefeated tour of Britain and France in 1967.
- Coached the All Blacks to victory in the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.
- Was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 1999.
- Served as a selector for the All Blacks for many years following his coaching tenure.
Did You Know?
He was originally selected for the All Blacks as a flanker before becoming a dominant lock.
He worked as a shepherd on his family's farm in the Wairarapa region throughout much of his playing career.
The Lochore Cup, a trophy in New Zealand's domestic Heartland Championship, is named in his honour.
He was knighted in 1999 for his services to rugby.
“You don't coach the All Blacks, you just remind them of who they are.”
